Folding chair

Abstract

A unique folding chair having a frame which permits said chair to be easily and conveniently folded into a compact configuration that facilitates both the storage and transport thereof. The frame of the instant folding chair includes a triangular-shaped seat support structure and an arrangement of legs that are spaced relative to one another in positions that correspond to the vertices of a triangle. By virtue of particular coupling assemblies, the structural members of the folding chair of the present invention are adapted to be moved in one or both of two perpendicular directions. Accordingly, the chair may be folded so that the structural members thereof can be arranged in substantially parallel alignment with one another and generally in a single plane.

Having thus set forth a preferred embodiment of the present invention, what is claimed is: 
     
       1. A folding chair comprising: first and second seat support members,   leg means pivotably connected to said seat support members,   back support means pivotably connected to said seat support members,   first coupling means to pivotably interconnect said first and second seat support members,   said first and second seat support members adapted for movement in a horizontal plane and in directions toward one another, whereby to correspondingly cause said leg means and said back support means to be moved in directions respectively towards one another, and   a third seat support member pivotably connected between said first and second seat members and adapted for movement in the horizontal plane of said first and second seat support members,   said leg means and said back support means adapted to be pivoted through respective vertical planes and into the horizontal plane of said first, second, and third seat support members, so that in a folded configuration, each of said seat support members, said leg means, and said back support means is compactly arranged in substantially parallel alignment with one another in said horizontal plane.   
     
     
       2. The folding chair recited in claim 1, wherein said first coupling means includes a pair of flat sections positioned in face-to-face alignment with one another, each of said flat sections being interfaced with one end of one of said first and second seat support members, and   retaining means to interconnect said pair of flat coupling sections in said face-to-face alignment between said first and second seat support members.   
     
     
       3. The folding chair recited in claim 2, wherein said first coupling means comprises a pair of rectangular channel portions, each of said channel portions receiving therein one of said first and second seat support members.   
     
     
       4. The folding chair recited in claim 1, further comprising second coupling means to pivotably interconnect said leg means to said seat support members. 
     
     
       5. The folding chair recited in claim 4, wherein said second coupling means includes a flat section interfaced with said leg means, and retaining means to interconnect said flat coupling section between said leg means and said seat support members.   
     
     
       6. The folding chair recited in claim 5, wherein said second coupling means comprises a rectangular channel portion to receive therein said leg means. 
     
     
       7. The folding chair recited in claim 1, wherein a first end of said third seat support member is pivotably connected to one of said first and second seat support member, and the second end of said third seat support member is removably connected to said leg means.   
     
     
       8. The folding chair recited in claim 7, wherein the second end of said third seat support member includes an elongated pin means associated therewith, and means by which to cause said pin means to be extended from or retracted into said third member, whereby to removably connect said second end to said leg means.   
     
     
       9. The folding chair recited in claim 7, further comprising second coupling means to pivotably interconnect the first end of said third seat support member and said leg means with the one of said first and second seat support members, and retaining means for accomplishing the aforementioned interconnections, whereby said third seat support member is adapted for movement in a direction through the horizontal plane and said leg means is adapted for movement in a direction through the vertical plane.   
     
     
       10. The folding chair recited in claim 1, further comprising arm support means pivotably interconnected between said leg means and said back support means and adapted for movement in a direction through the vertical plane. 
     
     
       11. A folding chair having at least front legs and a plurality of at least three seat support members, all of which being pivotably interconnected with one another, said folding chair further including: first coupling means for pivotably interconnecting first ends of a first and second of said seat support members,   second coupling means for pivotably interconnecting the second end of the first of said seat support members to one front leg,   third coupling means for pivotably interconnecting the second end of the second of said seat support members to another front leg, and   fourth coupling means for pivotably interconnecting one end of a third of said seat support members to the second end of one of said first or second seat support members, said third seat support member extending between the second ends of said first and second seat support members,   each of said front legs and said first, second and third seat support members being movable in one or both of two generally perpendicular directions so as to be compactly positioned in substantially parallel alignment with one another.   
     
     
       12. The folding chair recited in claim 11, wherein said first coupling means comprises a pair of rectangular channel portions positioned in face-to-face alignment with one another, each of said channel portions respectively receiving the first end of one of said first and second seat support members.   
     
     
       13. The folding chair recited in claim 11, wherein each of said second and third coupling means comprises a rectangular channel portion, each of said channel portions respectively receiving the second ends of said first and second seat support members.   
     
     
       14. The folding chair recited in claim 11, wherein the third of said plurality of seat support members, is removably connected between the one and the other of said front legs. 
     
     
       15. The folding chair recited in claim 11, wherein the second end of said third seat support member includes retaining means associated therewith, and means by which to cause said retaining means to be extended from or retracted into said third member in order to thereby removably connect the second end of said third member to one of said front legs.   
     
     
       16. A folding chair having a compact folded configuration and comprising a plurality of leg means and at least first, second and third seat support members for forming a seat upon which to support the weight of a user thereupon, said leg means and seat support members being pivotably interconnected with one another, the second of said seat support members being pivotably connected between the first and third of said seat support members, each of said first, second, and third seat support members being rotatable through a horizontal plane, so as to be located in generally parallel alignment with and adjacent one another, and   each of said plurality of leg means being pivotably connected to said seat support members, so as to be rotatable through respective vertical planes and located in generally parallel alignment with and adjacent said seat support members.   
     
     
       17. The folding chair recited in claim 16, wherein said first, second, and third seat support members are pivotably interconnected with one another so as to form a triangular seat for supporting the weight of a user thereupon.